Yosemite for 2 weeks... "must climb" suggestions!

I'm going to Yosemite with my wife for the first two weeks of October. I've only climbed there a bit, and it was a long time ago.

What are the "must climb" suggestions from everyone?? I'm a solid 5.10 trad leader with lots of experience. Willing to lead up to 5.11 trad when protection abounds.

Thanks in advance!!
Andy

You will totally want to just boulder for those two weeks.

Well I think you climb a little harder than I do, but . . .

East buttress on El Cap checks in at 5.10b, but it's really one boulder problem at the start of the second pitch and rest is all 5.9 or under. Then you can say you've freed el cap :P

Most of the rest of the stuff on my todo list checks in at .10a or under:

Sacherer Crack + Moby Dick + Ahab (if I'm feeling Masochistic) at the base of El Cap all look sweet.

Also I've heard that Central Pillar of Frenzy is quite fun.

Outer Limits
Bev's Tower / Wheat Thin / Butterfingers
Catchy / Catchy Corner
Reed's Pinnacle Direct (first 2 pitches)
Lunatic Fringe
Free Blast
East Buttress of El Cap
Nutcracker
Serenity Crack / Sons of Yesterday
Royal Arches
Grack Marginal
Goodrich Pinnacle - Right Side
Mr. Natural
Braille Book
NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral
East Buttress of Middle Cathedral
Central Pillar of Frenzy
Hotline (A0 on the 5.12 and bail below /right of the 5.10d bombay)

Andy,
I suspect you might like Serentity Crack (10d) and South By Southwest, (10d/11a). Both have cruxes that can be loaded up in the event that the second needs to pull on gear.
I'll second the notion on Reeds Direct first 2 pitches. I didn't like the 3rd one so much, honestly but maybe it was just too hot and humid out for that kind of thing. If it is cool enough, wear long sleaves to avoid scripes. Same goes for Outer Limits.
A great warm-up/Intro would be The Central Pillar of Frenzy, as Clint mentioned... the first 5 pitches can be linked in 3.
Also, for what it's worth, I didn't like Beverly's nearly as much as I liked Catchy/Cathcy Corner.

Clint listed a pretty good list, though you may want to reconsider stuff like Mr. Natural or anything else for that matter, at the base of Glacier Point Apron because that feature seems to be falling apart about every other year with devastating consequences for anyone and everything below it (think MANY football fields of rock falling all at once....people have died from the shock wave of air the rock fall created). That said, Mr. Natural is stunning.

1) Get up EARLY (early, early) and do the Serenity and Sons linkup...absolutely incredible.
2) East Butt. of Middle is great 5.10c
3) Central Pillar of Frenzy 5.9
4) The Generator Crack (kick your ass offwidth that you can easily TR. Fun for the end of the day) 5.10c
5) Commitment on the Five Open Books 5.9

Furthermore, if the weather is ok, I would go to Tuolumne. I like the climbing up there way better than the Ditch. (Yes I know, you valley rats can stone me to death if you like). You're from Wyoming, so a little cool weather probably won't bother you anyway. I have climbed Fairview Dome in November, so Oct. should be fine. You will need to amend this list to allow for staying in the sun, but here is a good starting point:

1) Reg. route on Fairview Dome 5.9
2) West Crack on Daff Dome 5.9 (has one of the most fun pitches of 5.8 I have ever done)
3) NW face of Lembert (might be too cold) 5.10b/c
4) Shagadelic 5.8 and Excellent Smithers 5.10 on Mariuolumne Dome (well bolted mult-pitch slab routes)
5) Cathedral Peak 5.6 (super fun day if you get there early to avoid the copious amounts of people....not that hard, California people don't understand what "alpine start" means)

Have a fun!!

Serenity and Sons is a great link up, but get there first

If it is warm enough, the Rostrum Reglar Route is great, if it proves difficult it is pretty easy to bail to the ledge below the crux pitch and traverse off.

UUH, Astroman, by-pass the boulder pitch if you want to keep it sewn up on the harder climbing, the Harding Slot actually protects really well. Or just climb up to the Slot and rap with 2 ropes, it's still a greeat outing.

If Tuolumne is OK, South Crack rivals Nutcracker and is sure to be less crowded with a better setting IMO. Not to mention south facing. On the way down you could hit Black Angel.

Other great Tuolumne stuff, Blues Riff (first 2 pitches), Phobos and Diemos. OZ but it will be too cold.

The Nose up to Dolt Tower is not a bad day, though it will make you want to continue.

I tried to come up with a "top 5", in no real order other than maybe easiest to hardest:
Bishop Terrace (2 pitch, 5.8)
Reed's Pinnacle Direct (3 pitches, 10a)
Lunatic Fringe (1 pitch, 10c)
NE of Higher Cathedral (11 pitch, 5.9+)
Midterm (1 pitch, 10b)

But rather than climb the best routes that I've done, you'd probably be better off climbing the routes that I want to do, which would include: Serenity and Sons, Entrance Exam, Gripper, English Breakfast Crack, New Diversions, Sacherer Cracker, Crest Jewel, and several others.

Edited to say: I sort of agree that Tuolumne has better free climbing than the Valley if you're not pulling down 5.11 or harder. When I think of the great climbs I've done in the park, the ones that pop into my mind first are Crescent Arch, OZ, The Great White Book, Blue's Riff, Matthes's Crest, 3rd Pillar of Dana. Ok, that last one is outside the park boundaries, but all the others are up in Tuolumne. Prob be nicer weather down in the Valley though.

Great suggestions so far everyone. I just spent a week in the Meadows, so I'll be sticking to the Valley. OZ (with Hobbit Book thrown in on top) was my favorite.

Keep 'em coming!

PS- but important. If you do the E Buttress of Middle Catherdral, do it the "classics" way not on the origional route up the chimneys on the left.

Sooooooo much; here are a few:

a day of cragging at Arch Rock (midterm, leanie meanie!!, gripper including the second pitch, english breakfast, new dimensions if you're feeling saucy). all awesome 10s and easy 11s. warm.

cookie cragging: any part of nabisco wall, catchy/catchy corner is fantastic, outer limits, hardd is a reasonable 11. one of the best crags I've ever been to...not just in Yos.

higher cathedral spire has really fun 5.9 climbing, incredible history, even more incredible summit, and a bit of a schlep to get there.

lower cathedral spire: south by southwest offers one amazing pitch (if you link the 10d fingers and easy 11a hands), with some grunge on the hike and approach pitches. worth it once, also a sweet summit.

East Butt of the captain is totally fun and mostly pretty mellow.

NE buttress of higher cathedral rock is a cool adventure: SOLID 5.9.

I've done both variations ("classic" and original) of middle cathedral's east butt and wasn't that impressed with either. Definitely the worst 50 classic I've done, but it's still worth doing once.

serenity/sons should be a given.

a day at reed's is totally worthwhile: do the pinnacle, stone groove, and lunatic fringe.

if you liked serenity/sons and want more, go do silent line on ribbon falls wall/gold wall. fantastic 5.10 jamming, wild little chimney with slot exit to splitter hands, and a short A0 bolt ladder.

STECK-SALATHE, although maybe not the best october climb (shorter days, cold), an awesome full-value 5.9 adventure. it's capitalized for a reason!

other good mellow day crags: five and dime, pat and jacks, church bowl, dan and jerry's playground

If that doesn't keep you busy, go do the right side of folly (aka good book), the east buttress of lower cathedral (fantastic adventure route a bit off the beaten path), kor-beck, el cap cragging, anything on the five open books (definitely commitment and surprise), sheesh, the royal arches to crest jewel or the south face hasn't been mentioned, snake hike (can't say i've done it, but could be a fun day).

AND if THAT doesn't keep you busy, I guess start wall climbing or something. Have fun!

ps, if you feel in any way up for it, the rostrum is truly, truly amazing.

Braille Book- a stiff hike in, but one of the best 5.8s anywhere. Fairly stiff for the grade.

NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral: stretching the upper limits of Grade IV and 5.9. A stiff day, but excellent.

First two pitches of Reed's Direct: the classic 5.9 testpiece.

Bishop's Terrace: the second pitch is excellent, possibly the best 5.8 on the Valley floor.

Serenity to Sons: an excellent day out. The 3rd pitch of serenity has a short stretch of 5.10d, I don't think there's a pitch on the route that's less than excellent (OK, maybe the 5.6 at the start of Sons of Yesterday).

Chouinard-Herbert: If you're feeling strong, free it in a day. We aided/pulled on gear for the hard stuff, bivied at the top in October 1984, and I still have wonderful memories of that climb.

Steck-Salathe: A full day of 5.9, and excellent climbing.

Get an early start on all these climbs, everyone in the valley knows how good they are.

Mark Felber wrote: NW Buttress of Higher Cathedral: stretching the upper limits of Grade IV and 5.9. A stiff day, but excellent.

I belive he means the NorthEast Butress of Higher.
For me personally, I think this is one of the bigger sandbaggs I've done in the Valley. The first bit is a ramble then you get the tight 60 degree corner with thin hands to ring locks in the back that you can only get one hand into and is trying to spit you out the whole time, and you finish with a ton of different ways to go once you leave the corner. Just not as clean a line as some of the others to me. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good route but not something that I think I will ever do again unless I'm trying to link Middle and Higher in a day.

As far as NE But being a long day, it is but it is mostly hiking as about half the route is 5.6 and 5.7 with a big approach and a really long descent.

Nutcracker: awesome warmup climb, however don't blow the 5.8 mantle (not hard if you climb 5.10)
Central Pillar of Frenzy: another good getting yourself used to the Valley.
Commitment: another good mostly sub 5.9 climbing. The Surprise is right next door and also excellent. Werners Ant Tree is a bit runout at the bottom, but a good start to The Surprise.

Everything at the Cookie Cliff is really stellar.

I'd second Serenity/Sons - offset pieces really useful for the first pitch. Get there early as crowds build on this one.

I thought the Braille Book was a bit overrated given the huge approach, but don't let me stop you from going up there. Try to finish early if you do because the summit is tough to navigate off of.

The Rostrum.

It has three 5.11 sections, the most difficult 5.7 squeeze chimney (felt like solid 5.10 and a bit runout), and a nasty 5.10+++ offwidth, but it is the best trad climb I've done there besides the Nose (obviously I didn't free that). If you can get on this do it. Probably better to find someone who can lead the 5.11 stuff as I think I'd rather free climb following then clean aid/french free it. You could probably aid/french all the crux moments, as long as you brought plenty of small stuff (black and blue aliens for sure). This climb has everything, Indian Creek enduro cracks, tech thin stuff, offwidth, squeeze...brilliant. Start early. If you are feeling good on your trip and want to try this one be prepared. It is long, hard, physical, and intense. If you aren't great at offwidth mabye bring two #5's, but don't go without at least one. You can stash them at the top of pitch 4 and pick them up as you go.

I'm not advocating aiding this or french freeing, but it is just so incredible and so beyond any of the 5.10 and below I've done in the Valley I thought I'd mention it. Just a totally different level.

Haven't done Astroman, but even though rated the same everyone I've talked to says it is harder...so Rostrum first if you are going to do either one I'd say.

Check out the Uprising if you like splitter wide hands/fist cracks. Haven't done that pitch, but it looks just insane.

If after all these mega classics you need a change of pace/rest day activity, I would recommend third-classing the regular route on Sunnyside Bench. Its about 300ft of 5.4 and really fun. From the top you can scramble scrambler's left to some nice little pools at the base of Upper Yosemite Falls. Its like a cool, climber's day hike.

Oh, and chalk up another vote for Free Blast: stellar climbing and doable at 5.10+ with a few moves of aid.

LeeAB wrote: I belive he means the NorthEast Butress of Higher.

I did mean North East, I corrected it.

Joe Stern wrote:STECK-SALATHE, although maybe not the best october climb (shorter days, cold), an awesome full-value 5.9 adventure. it's capitalized for a reason!

I second a vote for the Steck-Salathe. It's easily one of the best routes I've ever done. It's truly fantastic.